1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus such as an inkjet printer or plotter which jets ink from an ink jetting hole, and more specifically, a capping device to be covered on the head surface for protecting the head surface of an ink cartridge and preventing clogging that is caused by drying of residual ink.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an inkjet recording apparatus such as an inkjet printer or plotter, printing is carried out by jetting ink from an ink jetting hole formed in the head surface of an ink cartridge that reciprocates.
In such an inkjet recording apparatus using an ink cartridge, when the ink cartridge is positioned at its home position (home station), printing is not carried out, so that if the head surface is left without protection, ink adhering to the head surface is dried, and this causes clogging, etc. Herein, the home position means a non-printing region set aside of a printing operation region in order to make the head surface for printing of the ink cartridge to withdraw from the printing operation region and standby after completion of the printing operation.
Considering this point, in the prior arts, for example, at the home position that is the initial position of the ink cartridge, in order to protect the head surface and prevent clogging that is caused by drying of the residual ink, between a cap and a slider that moves back and forth while retaining the cap, a capping device is formed by providing a structural part with rigidity smaller than that of the cap, and the head surface is covered by this capping device (for example, see JP-A-2001-287374).
In the structure disclosed in JP-A-2001-287374, a spring or the like that was used in the prior arts is not used, so that the number of component parts can be reduced, and this is preferable. However, the rigidity of the cap is greater than the rigidity of the structural part, that is, the cap is harder than the structural part, and this poses a problem in smoothness on the surface of the cap which comes into contact with the head surface, and if the smoothness is low, air-tightness when the head surface is covered is deteriorated. Maintaining the smoothness results in an increase in manufacturing costs, and even if high smoothness is obtained, the surface is worn out during use, resulting in deteriorated air-tightness, and this makes it impossible to use the apparatus for a long period of time.